Family Secrets
by Thread Magic
Summary: Fred and Hermione are coming clean with their relationship. How will the family take it?


Over the Christmas holiday of her seventh year at Hogwarts, Hermione Granger visited the Burrow for part of the time. While she was there, she helped Molly keep order. What surprised everyone was her sudden shyness of the twins' room. The twins were here for the holiday, though more often than not, one of them was at their joke shop.

Everyone found her sudden shyness strange. Ginny thought it was suspicious. She poked around until she found out why. One night, Hermione slipped out of her bed. Ginny, sharing the room and being a light sleeper, noticed her leave. Once she closed the door behind her, Ginny got up and followed her. What she found surprised her.

"Are you sure?" That was one of the twins, Ginny couldn't tell which.

"Yes. I already told you that. Quite a few times in fact." That was Hermione.

"I know, I know. I just can't believe it."

"Why not?" Ginny was getting suspicious. It sounded like the two were going to do something they shouldn't.

"Well, because... Hermione, you know why."

"If you can't accept it, how do you plan to overcome it?" Ginny heard something that could have been the scuffing of a foot on the floor.

"Okay, okay. I just find it hard to believe that you could want to. Being you, I didn't think you would go for it." It was driving Ginny crazy. Why did they have to go in circles?

"Believe it. Now, when do you want to tell them?"

"Not until you're out. They may accept it better."

"Fred Weasley, I am a legal witch. In fact, even by muggle standards, I'm a legal adult. I would like their approval, yes, but I'm a big girl. I can handle it if they don't."

"Are you sure?"

"Have you known me to kid about stuff like that?"

"No," he replied reluctantly. Ginny was going crazy. She wanted to know the big secret!

"Well," she continued, "if it makes you feel better, we'll wait. But don't think that means you can ignore me. I'll expect an owl every week." Was Hermione blackmailing her brother or something? She heard a slight chuckle.

"You know I would owl you every day if it wouldn't look suspicious."

"You're sweet." For a few seconds, Ginny heard nothing but the creaking of the boards beneath their feet. She knew it wasn't the ones beneath hers; she hardly moved a muscle. Finally she heard a gusty sigh.

"I guess you're going to tell me to go to bed now, aren't you?"

"Unless you want Ginny to get anymore suspicious than she already is." Ginny smiled. _I'm sneakier than you think,_ she told them in her mind. _Now what are you up to?_ As if to answer her, the next sentence made Ginny sputter in disbelief.

"Come now. Who would suspect the big secret is just us dating? I mean, it's not like we're obvious, and it's not exactly suspected." As Ginny regained her composure, she stood up, ready to either confront them or sneak back into her room. She didn't know which yet.

"Well, we should get back into our beds before we're missed. George can sleep through an earthquake, but Ginny's a light sleeper. Be careful going back in." Ginny decided to confront them.

"I will. Good night." The last two words she could hardly make out they were whispered so softly. Ginny came down the last eight steps and turned to look into the notch in the wall that housed the twins' doorway. She wasn't prepared for the sight she saw, even though she might have expected it with how the conversation just went.

Hermione's arms were around her brother's neck, leaning into him to support some of her weight. Fred's arms were wrapped tight around her friend's waist, supporting her and holding her in place. Their bodies were molded together from hip to shoulder. If the embrace wasn't enough to shock her, the kiss was. Fred's head was dipped over Hermione's, lips slanted over hers. Hermione's head was tilted to the side to give him more access. Their tongues darted back and forth between their mouths, and Ginny couldn't tell whose tongue was whose. Ginny just stood there for a moment, registering it before she made her presence known.

"_Oi_!" she said in a loud whisper. Hermione and Fred jumped, startled, before Fred turned so Hermione was behind him before pulling out his wand and pointing at the currently unknown intruder. Seeing her face though, he lowered the wand.

"Aw, bloody hell." Hermione peeked out around Fred, blushing. Once she saw who it was, she hid behind Fred again, muttering.

"Crap, crap, crap! Of course, we had to get caught. At least it wasn't Mrs. Weasley." Ginny barely caught that, she was muttering so quietly. "Crap, crap, crap. Bloody _hell_." Fred turned and grinned at her for that before turning his attention to his sister. Hermione came out and stood beside Fred, curling her arm around his in nervousness.

"So..." Ginny started. _I'll make them squirm for a bit_ she thought.

"Oh Ginny, please, please, please don't tell anyone!" Her friend turned pleading eyes on her. Ginny saw her grip tighten on her brother's arm. Fred looked at his sister with calm eyes before addressing the human leech on his arm.

"Hermione, I guess this just means we're coming clean a bit sooner than planned." Hermione snorted.

"You're the one who wanted to wait until I was out of Hogwarts," she hissed at him. The girl sighed and loosened her grip on his arm. She ran her hand down his arm until she twined her hand with his.

"Ginny," she said. "We'll tell them. Just... please, let _us_ do it." Ginny gave her friend a small smile.

"How long?" _They had to have been together a while to be having__** that**__ kind of kiss_ she thought.

"Christmas last year," Fred answered. Ginny's eyebrows shot up in surprise. Her brother grinned at her. "We've been a bit lax in our secrecy I see. Oh well, it was fun while it lasted." He winked at Hermione, who blushed when she caught his meaning. Fred had liked the spice in the secrecy. She squeezed his hand in warning. He grinned in response. Hermione looked back at Ginny, pleading with her with her eyes. Ginny sighed, and then grinned. She had a twin-like idea.

"Maybe," she whispered slowly, "I could help you out." The two looked at each other and Ginny, trying to decide what the catch was. Hermione nodded for her to continue. "I could help you guys sneak around for a while longer, until you're ready to tell. Which had _better_ be soon. Sheesh, you guys have been going out for a year!" she muttered to herself. Fred grinned.

"Actually, it's not a year until Friday." Ginny put a hand over her eyes for a minute before glaring at her cheeky brother. "You know what I mean!" Fred grinned at her, showing off a dimple. Ginny sighed.

"What do you want in return?" Hermione asked. She's been friends with Ginny for six years now. She knew Ginny would want something in return. Ginny proved her right as she gave her an evil grin.

"You, my dear, are giving me all the juicy details, starting from last Christmas." Hermione groaned. Fred pulled Hermione in front of him and wrapped his arms around her from behind.

"Oh, no Ginny, we have to keep some of those juicy details between us. Some details aren't meant for your young ears." Hermione swatted him for implying what wasn't true. Ginny huffed.

"I'm only a year younger than Hermione, so if she's old enough for these juicy details to happen, I'm old enough to hear them." She grinned at them with something glittering in her eye. Hermione didn't want to know.

"Well, dear sister, technically, you're closer to two years younger. See, you were born in the summer. My precious Hermione here was born early September. She had to wait a year to start Hogwarts, so she's already eighteen. So _technically_," Fred waggled his eyebrows, "you're still too young but she's old enough." Hermione swatted him again.

"Enough, both of you. Ginny, fine, I'll talk to you, but please, do _not_ tell your mother. We'll talk when we're ready, and yes, I'll make sure it's sometime soon. Fred, stop provoking her and insinuating falsities." Both looked a little put out. Hermione sighed, squeezed her captor's arms gently before turning inside them. "Good night," she whispered softly before kissing him, long and slow. Reluctantly she pulled away and stepped out of his arms, taking Ginny at the elbow and steering her back towards her room. Ginny put up no fight, and soon Fred couldn't be seen.

"Okay Hermione, spill." Ginny practically jumped the girl once the door was closed. The two got settled on Hermione's bed, and Hermione told of her relationship with the redhead's brother. She told her about her crush since the summer after fifth, and how she tried to drop hints, but wasn't sure if he picked them up. Finally over Christmas, she gave him a cloak clasp that said 'will you go out with me?' on it. The words disappeared after it was read twice, and Hermione had hid in her room at Grimmauld Place the whole morning, mentally cursing herself for her stupidity. Surprisingly, to her, he didn't laugh or poke fun at her, but came to her room and accepted. The rest of the holidays they went places for little dates.

One time, he heated up some hot chocolate for the two of them and they stayed up half the night talking, getting to know each other outside some kind of relationship with Ron (friend of or brother to). He frequently visited Hogsmead, conveniently on days that the students could go to the village. Over the summer, they finally kissed, and continued to do so often after finding they liked it (Hermione had only kissed Krum once before they broke up, and Fred thought that kissing her was different then kissing other girls). Fred continued to visit on Hogsmead weekends and they spent as much time as they could secretly over holidays. This was the first time they were caught, but they'd had some close calls.

Finally, after about an hour of talking, Hermione finished. Ginny sat there for a few moments, taking it all in, before she launched herself at her friend. Hermione, caught off guard, fell back into her pillows while Ginny giggled on top of her. "May I ask what's so funny?"

"It's nothing. It's just that, everyone pictured you with _Ron_, so everyone's going to be blown away when they find out you're with _Fred_."

"Seriously? I mean, yeah, I had that crush on him back in first through third year, but really, he is too immature to date. He's barely mature enough to have as a best friend. I never really saw us together after realizing that." Ginny giggled.

"Well, you showed no sign of this newfound comprehension, so we assumed you two still liked each other." Hermione shook her head.

"You know the saying about assuming." Ginny nodded. "Anyways, how're going to hide this from your mum? I mean, I love her like a second mum, but she can get really scary. I know she wouldn't object to Ron and I in a relationship because we're really close in age, so I'm hoping that she doesn't mind too much about Fred and me. I mean, he's only about a year and a half older than me. We were just two years separate in school because I was born after September first."

"Hermione, you're babbling." Hermione stopped talking. "Good. Now, whatever you guys have been doing so far seems to be working."

"But you found out," Hermione pointed out.

"I'm just naturally suspicious. Plus, I heard you leave, so I followed you. I would have felt foolish if all you were doing was going to the bathroom or something." She stifled a yawn. "So, just keep doing what you're doing, but stop avoiding the twins' room. That's what made me suspicious in the first place, but I just figured you had a crush or something. Also, when you leave, tell me where you're going so I can try and keep people away."

"You don't need to lose sleep because of us."

"I don't mind. There's only a week left of break anyways. But you guys better tell at least mum or dad before break is over."

"I think I'd rather tell your dad," Hermione muttered. Ginny grinned. "Well, it's been a long night. Let's get some sleep." Ginny hopped off Hermione's bed and walked over to her own, curling up with a quiet "good night."

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Hermione took Ginny's advice and acted normal around the twins' bedroom. Mrs. Weasley noticed the change and just shook her head and chalked it up to being a teenager. _She may not act like it, but she's still a hormonally unbalanced teenage girl_, she thought. _She'll try to hide it, but she's not as old as she acts._ She did the chores well enough, and she seemed happy, so that was enough.

Hermione _really_ didn't want to give up her secret relationship. She liked the secrecy too. But now that Ginny had found out, they knew that there were higher chances of others finding out too. Hermione and Fred knew that they would have to be more careful until they revealed it. Fred acted like it didn't bother him, but he was nervous about revealing it. Things could happen, like their families not approving, them being kept apart, Hermione being asked to leave. He knew that would hurt her. The Weasley family was her second family, her magical one.

The two met again that night to plan, but mostly just to spend time together. Hermione informed Ginny before she left, as she had asked. The two met in the back garden this time. Fred sat down on the bench by their little pond, pulling Hermione onto his lap. She sighed, curling up and snuggling to him. He circled his arms around her and just held her. They basked in the silence and each other's company. Finally, Hermione broke the comfortable silence.

"How are we going to tell your mum?" Her head was tucked into the hollow of his shoulder and she didn't want to move.

"I don't know. Maybe we could just stay like this until morning. They'll find us and find out at the same time."

"We'd still have to explain," she pointed out. "We might as well tell them strait out." He sighed.

"I still can't believe that I have such a wonderful girlfriend." Hermione blushed.

"I'm the one who had to ask you out. You barely noticed me otherwise."

"Are you sure I'm worthy of such a wonderful girl?" Hermione was sure her whole face was cherry red and turned her face more into his shoulder to hide it. Not that it mattered much because it was too dark out to see it. Fred seemed to bring out her more girlish side. She was still trying to decide if that was a good or a bad thing.

"Yes, as I've told you many times. And quit with the flattery." He chuckled and brought a hand up to stroke her hair.

"I'm still surprised that you would want to spend time with me." Hermione sighed.

"Oh Fred. Why do you always put yourself down like that? You're kind, sweet, funny, you understand me; why wouldn't I?" She took one of her arms that was tucked up to her chest and wrapped it around his waist in a hug. "I wouldn't have you any other way. So I don't want to hear you putting yourself down like that again." He smiled tenderly down at her, though she missed it because she was curled up to his chest. He lightly stroked her hair as they sat in a comfortable silence again.

"We really should figure out how to break the news to them before Ginny spills." Fred sighed. He didn't want to break the news at all until she was out of Hogwarts. Being that she'll be older, they may disapprove less. Hermione gave him a squeeze around the middle. He looked down at her to see her smiling up at him. She leaned up and placed a gentle, lingering kiss on his lips before retreating.

"Oh no you don't," he growled playfully. He swooped down on her and captured her lips in a much more heated kiss. Hermione raised her hands to drape around his neck and he pulled her higher up on his lap. She really didn't mind his trying to distract her from the topic, but she knew they would have to come back to it eventually. Besides, she liked _this_ kind of distraction, and he knew it. After a minute or two, they two drew back, panting lightly with their foreheads still touching. He dropped a chaste kiss on her full, swollen lips before loosening his hold. She settled against his chest again before bringing up the topic. Fred sighed, knowing it was a losing battle.

"How about we just snog in front of everybody on Christmas on Friday?" Hermione stifled a giggle.

"I think everyone would have heart attacks. Ginny too, because she didn't expect PDA." They both smiled.

"What if we put some mistletoe up?"

"That would defeat the purpose." He pouted. She kissed his lip back into place.

"What if we exchange special gifts? It _is_ our one year anniversary." Hermione rolled it over in her mind before nodding.

"That sounds good. And we can drop little hints until Friday, like holding hands and speaking in hushed conversations more often. Than it might be less of a shock." He squeezed her briefly before letting go.

"I knew there was something in that fuzz ball you call a head. Ow!" Hermione smacked the side of his head pretty hard. He looked down at her with a puppy dog hurt look. Seeing right through it, she smiled at him and stuck out her tongue. Not one to miss an opportunity, he bent down and nipped the tongue offered to him before sweeping it into his own mouth. This started a whole new snogging session. Finally, when the moon was high in the sky, the two walked back inside quietly. At his landing, the two stopped and shared a nice, long goodbye kiss before Hermione went up to Ginny's room.

"I don't see how you're attracted to that git," Ginny commented as Hermione crawled back into bed.

"Siblings hardly ever see how people like their siblings. That's because you knew him in his awkward stages and know a lot of his flaws. I, on the other hand, only see what's been given to me. I didn't see all the mistakes he made that would turn people away. I know _of_ some, ones that he's fixed, but you knew it firsthand."

"I can see you attracted to Ron, you having known him for years. You guys complimented each other nicely, I thought."

"We argued too much. Anyways, you'd be surprised at how much Fred and I compliment each other." Hermione tucked the blankets securely around herself.

"Yeah, yeah. Whatever. You're sanity." Ginny rolled over and went back to sleep. Hermione just smiled to herself. Fred really was sweet, even if it was just to her.

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The next morning, the two started their little affections. It wasn't a lot, just a touch or a look. Ginny noticed immediately, though she had to wonder if they were doing it on purpose or she was just more attuned to it because she already knew. She looked around to see if anyone else noticed, and saw George's eye linger on the two. After breakfast, she pulled Hermione aside for a few moments.

"I think George is getting suspicious." Hermione smiled.

"Good." Ginny looked at her quizzically. "We're going to tell everyone on Friday, and until then we're dropping hints." Ginny understood. Well that made her less nervous. She was afraid she'd blurt it out or something.

Harry and Ron trudged down the stairs, only half awake. The girls smiled at them before going into the front room to look at the Christmas tree. Fred finished his breakfast and came into the front room too. He put a hand on Hermione's shoulder and waited. Hermione looked up at him briefly before her eyes flicked over to the door to the kitchen. She smiled at him before he gave her a quick peck on the lips.

"I gotta get to work. I'll see you later."

"Okay." She reached up and gave the hand on her shoulder a squeeze before he moved over towards the fire. Ginny rolled her eyes.

"Not going to get used to this PDA anytime soon. Especially I only found out two nights ago."

"Oh, come on. At least you won't have a shock on Friday, like the rest of the family." Ginny laughed a bit.

"True, but that doesn't mean I'm used to it."

"Used to what?" Harry and Ron came into the room and sat on the couch.

"Period cramps," Ginny replied callously.

"Oh, gross Gin!" Ron looked disgusted. "Too much information!"

"You're the one who asked." Hermione shook her head and smiled, glad for her friend's quick thinking. The girls continued to talk on other topics, before going upstairs to Ginny's room.

"Why do you want so much information on my relationship? I wouldn't want to know anything about my sibling's relationship if I had one. Luckily, I'm an only child." Ginny rolled her eyes and continued to ask about her relationship.

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At dinner, Fred and Hermione sat next to each other and talked about the joke shop. George was silent during their discussion, watching the two intently. Fred explained some of the spells put into their products, much to Hermione's delight. He promised to show her how to do some after dinner. The others noticed how Hermione beamed at that, and Harry chuckled while Ron rolled his eyes. Arthur noticed how closely they were sitting, closer than they needed to be to eat dinner. Their elbows bumped now and then. He kept an eye on them.

After dinner, George followed Fred and Hermione out back, where Fed showed Hermione how to do some of the spells. George showed her how to do the ones Fred didn't know. They kept some of their spells a secret, but Hermione beamed at both of them for showing her what they did. When they decided it was time to stop, Hermione gave them both hugs, and Fred got a kiss on the cheek. That didn't go unnoticed by George.

When Hermione was upstairs in Ginny's room, and the twins were back in their own, George confronted Fred.

"Alright, what's going on between you and Hermione?" Fred smiled.

"That's for me to know, and you to find out."

"You're going to keep secrets from your own twin?"

"You'll find out Friday, like everyone else." George looked at him suspiciously, before his mind came up with a plan. He'd just follow him if he went out tonight. George shrugged and looked away. Fred smiled, thinking his secret was still a secret, for now.

When Fred snuck out of bed, he checked to make sure George was still asleep. Once he was, it was doubtful he would wake up, but still, after last night, he wanted to make sure. George pretended to be asleep, but got up after he heard the door click. He put on his slippers to muffle his footsteps before quietly going out the door. Listening for his twin, he headed down the stairs. Fred was in the front room, the lights from the Christmas tree coloring his skin red, green, and blue. George hid in the shadows, watching. Fred was alone, but he sat on the couch patiently, like he was waiting for something. George and Fred both snapped their eyes to the staircase when quiet footsteps were heard there. Hermione emerged and Fred smiled. She smiled back and joined him on the couch. George watched closely at the two, before moving to a shadow closer to them.

"George suspects something," Fred said.

"Isn't that what we wanted? Everyone to suspect, then not be so shocked on Friday?"

"I don't think four days is enough for them to not be shocked." Hermione laid her head on Fred's shoulder and yawned. "Tired?"

"Yeah. All these nights are getting to me."

"Do you want to go back to bed?"

"I'm fine. I'll just catch up when I go back to school." Fred nodded and leaned his head on hers. His arm went around her shoulder, and Hermione's around his waist. Hermione snuggled into him, and though she said she was fine, she fell asleep against him. Fred smiled gently down at her sleeping form before looking to the shadows that George was hiding in. George knew he was caught and stepped out. He sat on a chair across from the couch the two were on.

"How long?" George asked in a whisper.

"A year." George shook his head.

"And you couldn't have told me?" Fred grinned.

"She wanted to come out with it a while ago, but I liked the secrecy of it. It added a little something to it." George just shook his head.

"Good luck with mum on Friday. And Harry and Ron. You _do_ know that Ron is going to want to kill you now right?" Fred chuckled.

"Maybe he'll accept that we're happy and grow up."

"If you wanna tell yourself that, fine, but it still won't keep him from punching you." They both laughed quietly, so as not to wake up Hermione. "Well, now that I know your secret, I'll head up to bed."

"Night George." "Night Fred."

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Friday came sooner than Fred was ready for. Hermione let him put it off until almost dinner, but no longer. She was nervous too, but it had to be done. As everyone sat down at the dinner table, Fred and Hermione stood up. Ginny and George gave them reassuring smiles.

"Everyone," Fred said in a loud voice. Attention was turned to them and the previous talking stopped. Mrs. Weasley came in from the kitchen. Fred smiled nervously, and Hermione squeezed his hand in reassurance. He squeezed back, needing her. She continued on.

"We'd like to tell you something." Mr. Weasley's eyes were staring at their hands, and when Mrs. Weasley followed his gaze, her eyebrows shot up. Hermione nudged Fred to get him to continue.

"Well, you see, it's something like this. You see, Hermione and I, that is to say, the two of us, well, we..." Hermione rolled her eyes.

"We've been going out for a year." Fred shot a look at her before both of them glanced at Mrs. Weasley to see how she would take it. Her eyebrows were still up before she shot them a look they didn't like.

"Hermione, you are much too young to be..."

"Now dear," Mr. Weasley interrupted. "They are plenty old enough to make their own decisions."

"But the age difference..."

"Is no big deal. It's only a year and a half. Hermione was born September 19th 1979. Fred was born April 1st 1977."

"But she's still in school, Arthur!" He sighed.

"She's also not our daughter. She's also eighteen. She also made this decision when she was a legal witch. She is not our half of the equation. Fred is." Her eyes twinkled at that thought. Fred gulped.

"You, young man..."

"Molly, leave them be. Fred is nineteen years old, and, as much as he may not act like it at times, ("Hey!" Fred exclaimed) is an adult. We cannot make his choices for him." Molly huffed and stalked back into the kitchen. The couple smiled in thanks at him, before looking at Harry and Ron. Ron was a reddish-purple color, and Harry just looked shocked. Finally, Ron got up from the table and stomped into the front room. Hermione made to go after him, but Fred put a hand on her arm and went instead. George noticed her worried look, and slipped her an extendable ear. She smiled at him.

"Ron?"

"What do you want?"

"How are you doing?" Ron huffed and looked away from him. "Come on Ron. Talk to me."

"Why should I?"

"Because I'm your brother." It was silent for a while before Ron burst out, "You knew I liked her! Everyone knew I liked her! So why'd you have to go and take her!" George saw Hermione's eyes narrow at that.

"For your information, _she_ asked _me_ out. Not the other way around. She got over you a long time ago Ron."

"Oh, sure, rub it in! I could have gotten her to like me again, if you hadn't gotten in the way." Hermione got up, though George tried to stop her.

"Are you sure about that Ron?" Both boys looked at her in the doorway. She walked further in so others wouldn't hear, after shooting George a look that had him rolling up his extendable ears.

"Do you even know when I got over you? Or why?" Ron shook his head.

"I've been over you for three and a half years now Ron. I got over you when I realized that you needed to grow up. And according to this little outburst just now, it shows that you still haven't. So how were you going to get me to like you again when you didn't even know the problem?" He looked down shamefully. "I date who I choose to date. If I wanted to date you, I would have asked you, like I did Fred. Don't treat me like property." She turned her back on him and went back to the table. Fred followed, leaving Ron alone on the couch.

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Hermione went back to school with the others, though she still snubbed Ron. She and Fred agreed to meet next Hogsmead weekend. Now that their relationship was out in the open, Fred promised to write more often. Hermione had already sent him a lot of letters because she could do it without being seen, but it would have been more suspicious if she kept getting letters every day. They finally got their happy ending when Ron apologized to the both of them and Mrs. Weasley agreed that they could make their own decisions. So after Hogwarts, Hermione and Fred moved into their own flat while she went through training to be in the Ministry. She was going to be in the **"**Department for the Control of Magical Creatures**"**. Once she secured a job, Fred proposed. Hermione hadn't been expecting it, and was shocked, but she said yes. They married at the Burrow shortly after.

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AN: I started writing this in January, so totally ignore anything that goes against the books.

**"**I can't remember the name of the department, and my sister is borrowing my book, so I couldn't look it up. If it's wrong, tell me and I'll fix it.**"**


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